Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1887-07-16
TRADES UNI0NISM
THE SOIL FROM WHICH So
CIALlSTS SPRING..
Why Politics We're EXcluded-Edu-
eating Their Members in Econ.
0micaI TcnetS -COntr0ll-
ing Of the Trades by
Their Members
By DIR. A DOLAI.

What does our party think OF
Trades Unionism?
Why, it has from its very begin
nings entertained very high opinion
of that kind of organization. Look
ing out for people who might be
converted to our ideas and aims
what better persons could be imag-
ined willing and prepared to adopt
them than Trades Unionists? They
have already given up isolation be
cause they felt that there is power
in union; they have already formed
brotherhoods for mutual assistance
and resistance against the behests Of
capital; they have of their own ac-
cord learned that the last safety of
workers is their great numbers and
their union for the purpose of recov-
ering portion, ut least, Of their
freedom Of contract as against the
power Of capital. Outside of Trades
Unions our party connot find many
workers whom it may easily attract.
But for Trades Unions our party
would have remained a small band
only of agitators without following.
Besides, experience teaches that
trades unions will better stick to
their colors, their program, and once
converted to our ideas and aims will
remain faithful to them.
1t is true that the old-fashioncd
trades unions were not inclined to
90 beyond their narrow purposes and
to dabbIc in politics because they
had to gather their members from
different parties, religious sects, ma
tionaities, and from the two sexes,
and must be afraid of hurting
their accustomed. prcjudices and as
socations; they had from necessity
to exclude politics and religion from
their meetings. But they could not
help educating their members In
economical views and tenets, foster
ing their self-thinking, their admin
istrative skill and their brotherly
spirit. And this explains why in
England the trades unionists became
Chartsts and now become Socialists,
and why in America the Central
Labor Unions have founded political
clubs, newspapers and the germs OF
great political labor movement.
But the most important reason
why we should cherish them is the
great part which trades unions are tC
play in the reformed social state anC
society. We want State which
shall guarantee forever the highest
attainable degree of individual liber
ty, and, at the same time the mos
perfect cO-Operation-whlch means
mterdopcndcnce. We want to pro
duce and to distribute products OF
the largest scale and with the mOs
perfect economy of natura boon'
and human forces. We want com
plete democracy combined with {
government of Reason. That il
impossible without the whole society
consisting of trades unions which
govern each itself, and together ev
erything else.
The world is now governed b,
very different kinds of governments
which, however, are very similar t
each other III not understanding
their business. There are hundred
of different interests to be taken car,
of within a single State; but TIN
people whom we elect to take car
thereof. are in their great majorit,
the most ignorant persons ant
skilled only in mean political tricks
and in stealing the peoples take
and liberty. All reforms of thi
contrivance chow not to do il" hav
thus far proven abortive.
If this is to be changed, after TIN
work-peopIe will have recovered til
,olitical powar II must ha done n